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Optimal State-dependent Monetary Policy Rules

Author

Listed:
  • Christian Baker

    (Department of Economics, Brigham Young University)

  • Richard W. Evans

    (Department of Economics, Brigham Young University)

Abstract

This paper defines a monetary equilibrium and computes an optimal nonlinear, full-information, state-dependent monetary policy rule to which the monetary authority commits at the beginning of time. This type of optimal monetary policy represents a combination of the flexibility of discretion with the time consistency of commitment. The economic environment is a closed-economy general equilibrium model of incomplete markets with monopolistic competition, producer price stickiness, and a transaction cost motive for holding money. We prove existence and uniqueness of the competitive equilibrium given a monetary policy rule and prove existence of the optimal rule. We show that the optimal state-dependent monetary policy rule satisfies the standard results of the discretionary policy literature in that it keeps inflation and nominal interest rates low (Friedman rule) and reduces inefficient variance in prices. Lastly, we compare the optimal monetary policy rule to a limited-information Taylor rule. We find that the Taylor rule, based on observable macroeconomic variables, is able to closely approximate the economic outcomes of the model under the optimal full-information rule.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian Baker & Richard W. Evans, 2013. "Optimal State-dependent Monetary Policy Rules," BYU Macroeconomics and Computational Laboratory Working Paper Series 2013-04, Brigham Young University, Department of Economics, BYU Macroeconomics and Computational Laboratory.
    • Handle: RePEc:byu:byumcl:201304
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Optimal monetary policy; Money supply rules; Time consistency; Nonlinear solution methods;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E42 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Monetary Sytsems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System
    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • C68 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Computable General Equilibrium Models

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